A New Era at the Architectural Heritage Center

Heather Flint Chatto

A new era of community-based architectural preservation advocacy in Portland appears to be in the offing with the hiring of Heather Flint Chatto as the new executive director of the Architectural Heritage Center.

 After engaging in the proverbial nationwide search for a new executive, directors of the non-profit heritage center found Flint Chatto close by in Southeast Portland, where she has been deeply involved in neighborhood planning.  The center's mission is to encourage preservation of important historic buildings and public spaces.  

 Flint Chatto brings 25 years of experience as a professional planner She brings over 25 years of experience as a professional planner and urban designer, with special interests in green design, planning for resiliency, zero energy buildings and sustainability policy.  Heather is known to many in the preservation field through her work as owner of Forage Design + Planning and as co-founder and Director of PDX Main Streets, helping communities to create main street design guidelines and identify their important historic buildings.

Flint Chatto is a strong advocate for creative ways to reuse vintage buildings as a key to curbing carbon emissions. She also values preservation for the social value of retaining a historic sense of place. 

 Most recently, Flint Chatto was principal of Forage Design + Planning and director of the not-for-profit PDX Main Streets, assisting neighborhoods in creating design guidelines that identify and retain important historic buildings. 

 Flint Chatto assumes her new post on June 1, succeeding Peggy Moretti, an interim executive who managed the AHC for the past 10 months.  Moretti will remain as a consultant during Flint-Chatto's first few months as executive director.

“I envision AHC as a convener of community thought leadership, fostering inclusive engagement, new partnerships, and expanded programming around diverse histories and cultural identities,” Flint Chatto said. “I look forward to advancing how preservation and rehabilitation of special buildings can be a catalyst for cultural placemaking, social uplift and economic vitality.”

 In 2015, and 2019, the Daily Journal of Commerce honored Flint Chatto as a Woman of Vision for her passion for education and design literacy, community planning work for main streets, and creative community engagement. In choosing Flint Chatto, AHC directors were impressed by her range of professional involvement and connections with many figures involved in Portland’s planning, design and development communities.

 She holds a master’s in urban planning from the University of Washington and early in her career worked as an urban planner in Santa Barbara, CA. While community outreach and education will be key elements of Flint Chatto’s new job, she also will be responsible for management of the AHC’s historic building at 701 S.E. Grand Ave., a staff of four and fund-raising and financial management. It adds up to a very full plate, indeed.

 ---Fred Leeson Join Building on History’s mailing list by writing “add me” to fredleeson@hotmail.com